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Paper Boats
Set in the desperate turmoil of Germany during the final chapter of World War II, “Paper Boats” by Erndell Scott is an emotionally intense, theatrical, suspense-driven read, examining the inevitable crossing of ideology, prejudice and faith amongst the chaos of a decimated post-war culture. As each character strives to find their own safety from enemies and persecution, two nine-year-old boys, Otto, of Jewish faith, and Joseph, a fanatical Hitler Youth, the most unlikely of partners, find themselves saviors for one another. Companions cast in deep personal conflict that is entangled with deceit and betrayal, they are swept into an unforgiving journey and become bound to each other, challenging their individual perceptions of mankind, and unbeknownst to them, their very own hearts. As their journey unfolds, Otto’s hope wanes, Joseph’s hatred swells, and without warning, the steady menace of war unleashes an evil, the likes of which they have never witnessed before.
481 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2016
About the author
Erndell Scott
1 book5 followersBorn and raised in a rural town in New Jersey, Erndell Scott spent his childhood ‘imagining it’ as he ran around in the woods, built forts, played cowboys and Indians and re-lived episodes of the Saturday morning World War II saga, 'Combat!'
Despite studying in college to be in the forestry profession, when career choice time was upon him, Erndell found himself drawn to the bigger, faster, more dynamic world of advertising. He spent years as a copywriter and art director – ‘imagining it’ as he traveled to captivating places, met interesting people and crafted work that in many cases redefined culture.
Erndell, tired of the fast-paced lifestyle of advertising, found himself seeking an art form where he could create his own work. He turned to fiction writing and hasn’t looked back. Today, he uses his imagination to pen experiential work, such as his breakout novel 'Paper Boats.'
Alternating his time between his rural farm in Indiana and his family home in Vermont, Erndell welcomes the quiet respite and calm of his career. The little boy of New Jersey is satisfied, playing in the woods, and 'imagining it.'
Despite studying in college to be in the forestry profession, when career choice time was upon him, Erndell found himself drawn to the bigger, faster, more dynamic world of advertising. He spent years as a copywriter and art director – ‘imagining it’ as he traveled to captivating places, met interesting people and crafted work that in many cases redefined culture.
Erndell, tired of the fast-paced lifestyle of advertising, found himself seeking an art form where he could create his own work. He turned to fiction writing and hasn’t looked back. Today, he uses his imagination to pen experiential work, such as his breakout novel 'Paper Boats.'
Alternating his time between his rural farm in Indiana and his family home in Vermont, Erndell welcomes the quiet respite and calm of his career. The little boy of New Jersey is satisfied, playing in the woods, and 'imagining it.'
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 17, 2016
Review originally posted on A Frolic Through Fiction (book blog): https://afrolicthroughfiction.wordpre...
RATED 4.5/5 STARS
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
This.
This is how historical fiction should be done.
It took me all of 30 pages to know that I would love this book. 30 pages, when there’s more than 400, that’s all I needed. Because right from the very first paragraph, I was impressed by the writing and imagery. It was incredible . I mean, here’s a snippet from the very first paragraph. This is how the book opens:
“Dust fills the eerie morning sky, choking any glimmer of sun as bricks – centuries old, released from their bonds – fall without course, finding their resting place upon a ravaged ground. Artillery and heavy weapons fire breathe new life into the sounds of the day while taking life as they speak. War awakens. Its foul stench is grotesque and twisted.”
Those four sentences – that’s not even the entire first paragraph – had me hooked immediately! I found it amazing how Erndell Scott managed to weave his words in a way that was so picturesque, so thorough, that I could convince myself I stood in the midst of war. Everything I’ve learnt about the war was translated into descriptions so detailed, I didn’t even have to try to imagine the scene – I would live it through the words. That’s how you know it’s a good book.
So this is the story of two young boys – one Jewish and the other a Hitler Youth – trying to survive through the war. I do admit that I was a little bit confused at times towards the beginning, as the synopsis says they’re nine years old. But the voice sounded way too old to be a nine year old. BUT it was soon made clear that a few years had passed since the beginning of the story, so while on their journey the boys are into their teens, which made much more sense. Especially with the war affecting them in such a huge way. It only made sense that their childhood was cut short, and they had to mature so quickly in order to survive.
Every so often the writing would slip from third person into first person, but only when showing one of the characters thoughts. It took me a while to catch onto this, to understand why the switch happened, as it wasn’t exactly made clear the first few times. I don’t think this is a problem with the writing though. I loved seeing small thoughts thrown in, and they definitely fit well into the text. I think it was more of a layout problem. If the thoughts were written in italics, for example, it wouldn’t have been an issue at all. It was just something I picked up on.
I was really quite impressed with the characters. Through the story you can see the change of each character, how each event that happens leaves some sort of lasting affect on them. Any changes in the relationships between characters were gradual and realistic, developing as you learn the backstories. By the end, you’re not just reading about some characters – you know them.
Now, this story isn’t for the faint-hearted, but I still feel like everyone interested in history should read it. Just think about everything you know from the war. All those horrors you’ve heard about? I can guarantee they’re in this book. There’s no sugar-coating at all. The gruesome details are included. The dangerous atmosphere is held throughout the entire book, looming over the story. The world is bleak, there’s constant tension. But it’s all accurate to the time. And while the book is about these horrors, it’s also…not. It’s about surviving them.
This is a story of love and loss, fear and hope, war and peace. This is a story that made me feel both heavy-hearted and content. This is a story that really moved me, and a story that I want more people to read.
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August 6, 2016
I was pleased to have won 'Paper Boats' not that long ago in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
This is one of my favourite genres and really enjoyed reading this book. I rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others, but if you enjoy books based around trying the final days of WW2 whereby 2 young boys (one in the Hitler Youth and the other being a Jew) forge a friendship, then this is a book that I would recommend.
This is one of my favourite genres and really enjoyed reading this book. I rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others, but if you enjoy books based around trying the final days of WW2 whereby 2 young boys (one in the Hitler Youth and the other being a Jew) forge a friendship, then this is a book that I would recommend.
May 31, 2016
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. There were several parts that I really enjoyed and several that I really struggled with. It took me until about halfway through the book to really feel hooked. The last couple chapters I didn't want to put the book down, yet I ended up skimming a lot of the pages.
For me the biggest reason was the voice of the main character Otto. Did I care for him as a character? Yes. Was his story compelling? Yes. But I really had a hard time right from the start. Otto's thoughts were in quotations like he was speaking and his thought processes were a little harder to follow, especially when he had conversations with other characters. Some of the conversations were harder to follow and I had a hard time getting past Otto's voice. I don't remember reading what his actual age is except that he was a youth when war started and not quite the age of a man when the book opens. I assumed he was anywhere from 12-15 years of age. He used words and phrases that made him seem like he was 30+ and that was hard to swallow knowing that character was just a young kid. I kept telling myself that he was a young boy in Germany witnessing some of the most horrific moments of history and experiencing many things that nobody should be forced to go through.
Now I'm going to give you a spoiler(which if you've read other reviews of mine you'll know I very rarely do so) that I believe is imperative to any reader to enjoy this story and I wish I had known this because I really think it would have completely changed the feel of the book to me and changed my feelings throughout the whole time reading it. When you get to the end of the book, Otto is older and the year 2014. He has just finished telling the story of his life during WWII. Now had I known that he was speaking and the whole book was him telling the story I really wouldn't have been so frustrated at some of the voices, musings and language.
Now all of that said I did enjoy the author's ability to describe all that was going on. He has a great ability with his writing and has done a great job researching and creating scenes between historical figures and his fictional characters. Erndell Scott did a fantastic job describing and allowing the reader to understand what was happening at that time period. I think I even read that he interviewed different Nazi officers while researching for this novel. You can tell that a lot of work has been invested into researching the history of this time period to make it accurate in the book.
The relationship between Otto and Joseph was interesting to watch. One a Jew and the other is the son of Nazi official who was instrumental in the concentration camps coming about. Joseph was assigned to escort Otto as he ran another errand for the Nazi leaders and was supposed to make sure that Otto was safe. How they started with some hostility between them then slowly moved to be comrades and good friends was a great development. I enjoyed the interactions between them. Especially since german youth were taught to hate Jews and everything about them.
Otto is a very resilient young man who has one thing that compels him to continue living through everything he encounters and sees. His childhood friend Annie and he were separated, as well as their families earlier on in the war yet he holds out hope of finding them. Otto has many moments of explaining what happened to him and his family. Those moments come through flashbacks and conversations explaining to other characters about his life.
The last part of the book was my favorite. Probably because after seeing everything that Otto suffers from you see him finally find hope and the chance that his life could have peace in it. It really was a great conclusion. But as I said at the beginning in my little spoiler for you that if I had known that the whole book was Otto telling a story I would have had a different outlook with it and not been as frustrated.
It is about WWII and definitely a darker story that will evoke many emotions associated to the pain and horror that was forced upon so many people. I have always been fascinated with WWII, having had my grandfather and great uncles serve in different branches of the military in Europe during the war. My grandfather passed away before I was born but my mom said he wouldn't, probably more so couldn't, talk about what he saw and experienced. I couldn't imagine living in that time and through the horror. I was able to go to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC about 5 years ago and by the end of it I was physically ill. My response came from seeing pictures and if you haven't gone, you actually go through a train car that was used to transport Jews to the camps, as well as seeing hair and shoes and silverware, piles of items that were confiscated from the Jews. If you haven't gone I recommend it but it is not the easiest experience.
I enjoyed different aspects of the book and others I struggled with but you may feel different and not find the voice frustrating like I did, especially knowing it's Otto telling the story. I hope this helps and if you do decide to pick it up I hope you enjoy it.
If you want to purchase a copy check out this partnership with Erndell Scott and Together We Rise, a portion of the proceeds when purchased on Amazon go to this organization. If you click my link you can read about the partnership and there is a link at the bottom to buy the book from amazon.
I received a free copy of the book from Mayfield Group in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Mayfield.
Happy Reading!!!
For me the biggest reason was the voice of the main character Otto. Did I care for him as a character? Yes. Was his story compelling? Yes. But I really had a hard time right from the start. Otto's thoughts were in quotations like he was speaking and his thought processes were a little harder to follow, especially when he had conversations with other characters. Some of the conversations were harder to follow and I had a hard time getting past Otto's voice. I don't remember reading what his actual age is except that he was a youth when war started and not quite the age of a man when the book opens. I assumed he was anywhere from 12-15 years of age. He used words and phrases that made him seem like he was 30+ and that was hard to swallow knowing that character was just a young kid. I kept telling myself that he was a young boy in Germany witnessing some of the most horrific moments of history and experiencing many things that nobody should be forced to go through.
Now I'm going to give you a spoiler(which if you've read other reviews of mine you'll know I very rarely do so) that I believe is imperative to any reader to enjoy this story and I wish I had known this because I really think it would have completely changed the feel of the book to me and changed my feelings throughout the whole time reading it. When you get to the end of the book, Otto is older and the year 2014. He has just finished telling the story of his life during WWII. Now had I known that he was speaking and the whole book was him telling the story I really wouldn't have been so frustrated at some of the voices, musings and language.
Now all of that said I did enjoy the author's ability to describe all that was going on. He has a great ability with his writing and has done a great job researching and creating scenes between historical figures and his fictional characters. Erndell Scott did a fantastic job describing and allowing the reader to understand what was happening at that time period. I think I even read that he interviewed different Nazi officers while researching for this novel. You can tell that a lot of work has been invested into researching the history of this time period to make it accurate in the book.
The relationship between Otto and Joseph was interesting to watch. One a Jew and the other is the son of Nazi official who was instrumental in the concentration camps coming about. Joseph was assigned to escort Otto as he ran another errand for the Nazi leaders and was supposed to make sure that Otto was safe. How they started with some hostility between them then slowly moved to be comrades and good friends was a great development. I enjoyed the interactions between them. Especially since german youth were taught to hate Jews and everything about them.
Otto is a very resilient young man who has one thing that compels him to continue living through everything he encounters and sees. His childhood friend Annie and he were separated, as well as their families earlier on in the war yet he holds out hope of finding them. Otto has many moments of explaining what happened to him and his family. Those moments come through flashbacks and conversations explaining to other characters about his life.
The last part of the book was my favorite. Probably because after seeing everything that Otto suffers from you see him finally find hope and the chance that his life could have peace in it. It really was a great conclusion. But as I said at the beginning in my little spoiler for you that if I had known that the whole book was Otto telling a story I would have had a different outlook with it and not been as frustrated.
It is about WWII and definitely a darker story that will evoke many emotions associated to the pain and horror that was forced upon so many people. I have always been fascinated with WWII, having had my grandfather and great uncles serve in different branches of the military in Europe during the war. My grandfather passed away before I was born but my mom said he wouldn't, probably more so couldn't, talk about what he saw and experienced. I couldn't imagine living in that time and through the horror. I was able to go to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC about 5 years ago and by the end of it I was physically ill. My response came from seeing pictures and if you haven't gone, you actually go through a train car that was used to transport Jews to the camps, as well as seeing hair and shoes and silverware, piles of items that were confiscated from the Jews. If you haven't gone I recommend it but it is not the easiest experience.
I enjoyed different aspects of the book and others I struggled with but you may feel different and not find the voice frustrating like I did, especially knowing it's Otto telling the story. I hope this helps and if you do decide to pick it up I hope you enjoy it.
If you want to purchase a copy check out this partnership with Erndell Scott and Together We Rise, a portion of the proceeds when purchased on Amazon go to this organization. If you click my link you can read about the partnership and there is a link at the bottom to buy the book from amazon.
I received a free copy of the book from Mayfield Group in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Mayfield.
Happy Reading!!!
June 24, 2016
I was given a copy of this book via a Goodreads contact. It looked interesting, as I'm Jewish and enjoy reading about the Nazi era, trying to understand how it happened. So, I guess I felt I owed it to the author to finish the book and write a review, even though I'm not a very sophiticated reader, nor a good reviewer. I mostly read mysteries, some historical fiction, and some scattered other fiction.
This book challenged my feelings about what I like to read. First of all, it was written in a manner that is unfamiliar to me, although perhaps not uncommon. Much of the story is written in the first person by the narrator, a young boy. It's a little unnatural sounding to me, because it's like we're listening to the boy's thought processes, but the grammar is very formal. I'm much more used to third person, where we are presented with the narrator's thoughts via the storyteller, along with explanations, where useful. But I got used to this method, and also the fact that the grammar of the children in the story sounded way too mature for their age. But I learned fairly early that the story was actually being told by the boy at an old age, so it made more sense then.
I almost didn't finish the book. This isn't necessarily a reflection on the writing so much as a reflection of my laziness and preference for best sellers that I can read to pass the time and forget about it soon after. But it's good to add variety, so I kept going, and began to enjoy the book more and more as I read.
I don't know how realistic the book really is, especially the maturity level of some of the kids. I suppose it's possible, especially in those days and times. I'd like to think there are people like Otto, who goes through life without seeming to hate anyone, and who is able to befriend anyone, whether young or old, Nazi or Jewish, German or Russian, etc. I think this may be the central idea of the book -people can't be put into a box and liked or disliked depending on what box they come out of. So in spite of all the death and destruction, it seemed to be a positive, feel-good story.
Perhaps it would have been more realistic if Otto had gotten mugged in Central Park at the end, but I'm kind of glad he didn't. :-)
This book challenged my feelings about what I like to read. First of all, it was written in a manner that is unfamiliar to me, although perhaps not uncommon. Much of the story is written in the first person by the narrator, a young boy. It's a little unnatural sounding to me, because it's like we're listening to the boy's thought processes, but the grammar is very formal. I'm much more used to third person, where we are presented with the narrator's thoughts via the storyteller, along with explanations, where useful. But I got used to this method, and also the fact that the grammar of the children in the story sounded way too mature for their age. But I learned fairly early that the story was actually being told by the boy at an old age, so it made more sense then.
I almost didn't finish the book. This isn't necessarily a reflection on the writing so much as a reflection of my laziness and preference for best sellers that I can read to pass the time and forget about it soon after. But it's good to add variety, so I kept going, and began to enjoy the book more and more as I read.
I don't know how realistic the book really is, especially the maturity level of some of the kids. I suppose it's possible, especially in those days and times. I'd like to think there are people like Otto, who goes through life without seeming to hate anyone, and who is able to befriend anyone, whether young or old, Nazi or Jewish, German or Russian, etc. I think this may be the central idea of the book -people can't be put into a box and liked or disliked depending on what box they come out of. So in spite of all the death and destruction, it seemed to be a positive, feel-good story.
Perhaps it would have been more realistic if Otto had gotten mugged in Central Park at the end, but I'm kind of glad he didn't. :-)
May 31, 2016
This book grew on me and I’ve got to say I really liked it. But be warned, you have to put on a whole new reading cap when flipping the pages because this book is not what I’ll call an expected historical novel. I read the reviews written here and I think those readers expected something this book isn’t. But the unexpected is why I liked it. It’s more of a movie than a book because the images and dialogue are vivid, big and sometimes over the top. The writer really sweeps you up and takes you along on a ride with the characters, but mainly Otto, a young boy trying to survive the end of the WWII. As a history buff I can tell you the events and descriptions of people, places and things are spot on. But it’s the characters that are different. They don’t speak normal and the action isn’t normal - a mixture of serious and inflated storytelling. Put aside what you know and what is realism and what is believable, because if you are to enjoy this book it’s a must. It’s not a perfect book and most aren’t, even from best-selling authors. Paper Boats is a solid, well-written book worth the effort.
April 21, 2016
4.5 stars
I was given a copy for an honest review.
Read my full review here: http://www.chocomeiske.com/2016/04/18...
Paper Boats was an amazing, disturbing, confrontational yet moving historical fiction about World War 2 and the fall of Germany to the allied forces. It perfectly echoes the chaos and grimness and general despair of that period.
Only problem I had was that I thought the language used didn't fit what an 11 year old would normally use (in my opinion).
I was given a copy for an honest review.
Read my full review here: http://www.chocomeiske.com/2016/04/18...
Paper Boats was an amazing, disturbing, confrontational yet moving historical fiction about World War 2 and the fall of Germany to the allied forces. It perfectly echoes the chaos and grimness and general despair of that period.
Only problem I had was that I thought the language used didn't fit what an 11 year old would normally use (in my opinion).
April 13, 2016
Juvenile story. Not much depth. Voice of characters is confusing and laughable.
April 23, 2016
Rarely am I moved enough to write a review on a book I’ve read. Paper Boats by Erndell Scott is the exception.
The book takes place in war torn Germany during the final days of WWII. It follows two young boys, Otto and Joseph. One a Hitler youth and the other a Jewish boy, torn from his family and pressed into service as a courier for the German army.
This is ultimately a story of a friendship that develops between these young boys, but the circumstances as to how these two become friends is a long and event filled journey… and one that the reader is privileged to be a part of.
Our history books tell us of WWII. We know the countries that were involved, we know of the leaders, the ideologies and the atrocities. Paper Boats, however, gives insight as to how the horror of war affected the people living in the midst of it, but especially the children. Joseph and Otto came from different faiths, different neighborhoods, different social classes. They were each instilled with different belief systems. The war taught them that each was each other’s enemy. But fate placed them in a situation where each needed the other to survive. If they were to survive the war’s final days, they needed to more than trust each other… they needed to love each other.
I won’t ruin the book for those who have not yet read it, but Paper Boats is a thoughtfully told story. It’s an epic journey that tugs at your heart. You will learn to know and love the characters; cheering for their triumphs, mourning at their losses and praying for their ultimate survival. This book demonstrates how blind hatred and misguided ideology can ruin nations, but that tolerance and understanding can heal.
Paper Boats was a book I had a hard time putting down. I fell in love with Otto and Joseph and felt badly when heavy eyelids forced me to leave them each night; me in my comfortable bed, while they suffered, cold and shivering. I couldn't wait to join them again at the end of each day to be with them in spirit, accompanying them on their journey. I felt a part of it all. Brilliant storytelling.
The book takes place in war torn Germany during the final days of WWII. It follows two young boys, Otto and Joseph. One a Hitler youth and the other a Jewish boy, torn from his family and pressed into service as a courier for the German army.
This is ultimately a story of a friendship that develops between these young boys, but the circumstances as to how these two become friends is a long and event filled journey… and one that the reader is privileged to be a part of.
Our history books tell us of WWII. We know the countries that were involved, we know of the leaders, the ideologies and the atrocities. Paper Boats, however, gives insight as to how the horror of war affected the people living in the midst of it, but especially the children. Joseph and Otto came from different faiths, different neighborhoods, different social classes. They were each instilled with different belief systems. The war taught them that each was each other’s enemy. But fate placed them in a situation where each needed the other to survive. If they were to survive the war’s final days, they needed to more than trust each other… they needed to love each other.
I won’t ruin the book for those who have not yet read it, but Paper Boats is a thoughtfully told story. It’s an epic journey that tugs at your heart. You will learn to know and love the characters; cheering for their triumphs, mourning at their losses and praying for their ultimate survival. This book demonstrates how blind hatred and misguided ideology can ruin nations, but that tolerance and understanding can heal.
Paper Boats was a book I had a hard time putting down. I fell in love with Otto and Joseph and felt badly when heavy eyelids forced me to leave them each night; me in my comfortable bed, while they suffered, cold and shivering. I couldn't wait to join them again at the end of each day to be with them in spirit, accompanying them on their journey. I felt a part of it all. Brilliant storytelling.
May 25, 2016
I recently finished reading this book. I'm in the publishing business and someone gave it to me to review. There are positives and negatives about this book. The premise of the book is original and fresh. The author has talent in weaving a complex story through actual events. However, where the book failed miserably is the dialogue and that the characters were not completely flushed out. If this book had come on my table prior to being published, I would have advised the author to hire a very competent editor and to work closely with them. The book has potential but the stiff, ridiculous dialogue completely destroys it. Also it feels like a parody initially and then you realize that the author is being serious. In any case, I'm not sure which writer would want to write a parody about a dark period in human history. The characters talk to themselves and each other in a non- human way. It's almost like the author puts on some weird dialogue hat that's a cross between an alien and a robot and writes in a completely unnatural way when his characters speak. I watched some of the videos posted on this site where the author tries to explain his writing style. He must think his audience are fools. I for one am not convinced that he wrote the way he did deliberately. That's a cover up and quite ridiculous in itself. Also in major parts of the book the author is unable to suspend disbelief. For example a young boy would not have a mature take on love with his childhood friend. Maybe it would have worked better if Annie was his sister. Also, the characters get injured and then proceed as though nothing happened. The end is immature. The bottom line is the book is confusing, amateur and needs some heavy duty editing to make it worth reading.
May 22, 2016
I got this book from a friend as I love historical fiction. I liked parts of this book but found a lot of it hard to read and a little boring. I liked the concept of the book, about a boy surviving at the end of WWII. The premise was interesting and exciting but the execution of the book is what made it an average read. Things just did not add up and the story felt contrived. For example, a 9 year old boy would miss his family more than a childhood friend. People can't recover from fatal injuries and infections overnight. Also, the dialogue was too chatty and explanatory, when more should have been shown in action. It felt childish but yet had violence in it. I'm not sure if a self published book gets edited by professionals but if yes, the editors should have trimmed many scenes and advised the author about the dialogue he was writing. To give some credit to the author, he does have the capability of creating visual images in one's mind through his writing, but what he writes feels contrived and without depth. I wanted to care about Otto, but I just could not. He sounded older than a 9 year old and the story just lacked the juiciness that well written historical fiction can have. I skipped through many pages. The end was better written but again, it did not feel real. It felt very contrived and superficial.
August 26, 2016
"Paper Boats" by Erndell Scott. Just like its title, this book doesn't float very long in the waters of historical fiction. The story has got good bones, but the dialogue is atrocious and quite comical. The author tries to be inventive and create a new way of telling historical fiction, but it doesn't work out. The superficiality doesn't capture the depth of human nature and the survival of the human spirit that is standard for historical fiction. I for one didn't relate to his central characters and didn't care for them or what happened to them. But it's not necessary to care for them too much as they seem to survive and escape the horrors of war by miracle on their own. Or the author forgets how badly they were injured in the previous chapter and makes them merrily skip along in the proceeding chapters as though their mortal wounds never happened or just healed on their own, quite quickly I might add. The writing is not terrible and that's what somewhat saves this book. The author can create visual images in a reader's mind. Maybe he should consider writing children's books.
April 9, 2016
I borrowed this book from a friend and just finished reading it. Hmm...I really wanted to love this book but it fell short for me. Firstly, I did not get the feel of historical fiction. Maybe the author researched a lot but it does not translate into the book. It did not transport me into that era and felt shallow. I couldn't relate to the voice of the characters and the theme. What is this book really about?Survival? The horrors of war? It jumped from action to action and there was no emotional arc that felt satisfying. Some parts were pure lazy writing where issues magically resolved for the characters. Mostly I could not connect to this book on an emotional level. I really did not care for any of the characters.
March 15, 2016
I'm a historical fiction buff and just finished reading this book. I enjoyed how the author wove a heart warming fictional story into factual events of WWII. I think it's a well researched book and well written. I just did not quite fall in love with his characters and found that I could not suspend my disbelief about the protagonist, a 9 year old boy, who survives the horrors of war. Conflict was built up well but sometimes resolved too easily or co-incidentally, that made parts of the book unbelievable. Also the voice of the protagonist did not feel like a child but a more mature person. So, in a nutshell, a good book, well written but does not satisfy completely.
May 10, 2016
Childish, cliche'd. Superficial emotionally. Action created just for the sake of evoking an emotional response, rather than being pertinent in story. Reads like a movie not a book. Tries to be serious, meaningful given the theme but turns out to be silly and childish and unconvincing. Rampant with exposition and descriptive dialogue. Author did not commit to genre'. Tries to be original, inventive, but cannot pull it off.
April 5, 2016
This book is trying so hard to be serious literature, but is shallow, boring in places and has no real depth as far as historical fiction goes to make it credible. A lot of exposition with the characters explaining what they are doing or talking to themselves about what they are feeling or thinking, like a bad soap opera. I could not finish this book.
March 9, 2016
Well written. Author has good command of language and expressing himself. Story was good at some places and trite at some. Many cliches. Starts of well, engages the reader, then veers of to "page skippers." Good imagination for the genre it is written in. Overall an okay read.
March 27, 2016
Erndell Scott's "Paper Boats"- Poetic author, Cinematic writing. Good start, get's slow and tedious in the middle, good end even though predictable.
May 29, 2016
Couldn't go past the first chapter. Writing style not for me. 2 stars for effort.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews